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September/October Volume 29 Issue 05

THE DEFENDER

Preparing our Youth for College

“Six or seven out of ten young people will leave the Church in college and never return.”

This quote, or others like it, has been used by anxious youth workers and campus ministers for at least the past decade. For parents who want their kids to stay connected to the Church, this sounds terrify-ing, and it is. But there is a caveat.

In a 2011 report, the Barna Group--who conducted the original research to which people are usual-ly referring--clarified a few things. Perhaps most surprisingly was this observation:

College experiences are generally not the main reason young people disengage from church life or lose their faith.

David Kinnaman, the director of research for the Barna Group study, says that it is not the experi-ences of anti-Christian academic courses, Saturday night parties, or even the casual hook-up culture alone that draw students away from the Church. Rather, the bigger issue is their lack of preparedness to face such obstacles and turn to Christ and His Church when college life gets difficult.

“The problem arises from the inadequacy of preparing young Christians for life beyond youth group.” Kinnaman pointed to research findings showing that ‘only a small minority of young Christians has been taught to think about matters of faith, calling, and culture. Fewer than one out of five have any idea how the Bible ought to inform their scholastic and professional interests. And most lack adult men-tors or meaningful friendships with older Christians who can guide them through the inevitable questions that arise during the course of their studies. In other words, the university setting does not usually cause this disconnect; it exposes the shallow-faith problem of many young disciples [emphasis added].’’

The Barna Group further points out that many young people feel “emotionally disconnected from church before their 16th birthday.” This changes the conversation about preparing our young people for college entirely. Instead of putting our primary emphasis on teaching high schoolers how to stay out of trouble or how to intellectually assent to a set of Orthodox tenets, our emphasis has to be on forming whole persons who have internalized God’s love and His commandments and who know where to turn when they face the world’s challenges.

So here’s our challenge to parents, youth workers, catechetical school teachers, and parish priests:

Before you send your kids off to college and to Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF), give them a lifetime of love, knowledge, and faith. What you do in the parish and the home the first eighteen years of their lives will impact their college careers far more than anything campus ministry can provide them in four short years. Specifically, here are three things they need to face the challenges of college life:

They need to know they are loved.

This may sound obvious, but one of the points the Barna Group research brings to light is the need for faithful, unwavering Christian mentors and peers for our youth. Our kids need to know that our love--

and by extension, the Church’s love--for them is unconditional. They need to know this through our ac-tions and not only our words.

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Children should know that their parents, grandparents, godparents, teachers, priests--the whole Church community--cares for them and can be relied upon in good times and in bad. This means giving them space for mistakes, showing them the path of repentance, and offering them true forgiveness when they fall. More than perfect children, we should pray for and raise repentant chil-dren who know not only God’s expectations for life but His mercy and love.

More specifically, our children should have connections with individuals in the parish wrought in this kind of love. Long before the Barna Group pointed out that young Christians need people of strong faith to be their mentors, the Church offered each and every Christian this very relationship in their godparents. And even if godparents don’t live nearby, our youth should have opportunities to spend time with adults of all ages to witness their faith in action and be loved unconditionally outside of the home.

They need to know how to think and do for themselves.

Starting in middle school, the goal of our catechetical programs must be to teach our children how to ask and answer the right questions. In their school classrooms, they are being taught to think critically, analyze, research, and draw conclusions on their own on all sorts of topics, but too often, we aren’t doing the same in Church School and SOYO.

This means we need to create a space to hear their questions, their doubts, and their personal opinions even if they are not fully in line with the Church’s teaching. While remaining unwavering in our own devotion to the teachings of Christ in His Church, we need to be prepared to let our young people disagree with us, challenge us, and come to terms with the Church’s teaching in their own way. We do not need to be afraid of doubt. Doubt is a catalyst for deeper faith when we view it as a calling to know Christ more intimately rather than as a challenge to an ethical or institutional expectation.

We want our kids to ask the tough questions (and find the answers to them) in the context of our unconditional love with peers and mentors that pray for them and desire that they come to know the Way, the Truth, and the Life. That way, they are prepared to face the challenges and questions which they will inevitably face on campus when the context is less than supportive and the questions are not posed to sharpen their faith but to tear it down.

They need to know Christ.

As Kinnaman points out, the real problem with our young people is not that college life turned them from faith to unbelief, but that their faith was weak when they arrived on campus. Like the seed that falls on stony ground and is easily uprooted in the parable of the sower, the faith of too many of our young people is not deeply rooted in their hearts.

It is our responsibility as parents and teachers to make sure that our kids don’t just know about Jesus, as if He were a character in a novel or a subject to be studied in a textbook, but know Him per-sonally in prayer and worship. Bring them to liturgy. Say morning and evening prayers as a family. Pray at the table. Read Scripture. Introduce your children to the saints who love Christ with all their being. Turn to God in prayer in times of distress and in times of thanksgiving. When they are raised in an environment where Christ is always at the center, our children will come to know Him and rely up-on Him truly, and they will not be swayed by the world when its temptations combat them.

Our children will face all sorts of challenges--both expected and unexpected--when they leave our homes and go out on their own. It’s inevitable. But these challenges need not be feared. If our chil-dren are raised with love and forgiveness, given the chance to ask tough questions, and have met

Christ themselves, the trials of college will be the fire in which their faith becomes purified like gold in a furnace rather than the place where it is burned up like chaff.

May it be so, and may God bless you and your children as they enter college life.

Article by Mrs Christina Andresen, Manager for Chapter Relations of Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF); originally published in “The Orthodox Observer,” July/August 2016. Reprinted with permission.

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“Instructional” Divine Liturgy Ever wondered…

How are the Holy Gifts (Bread and Wine) prepared for Holy Communion?

What is the difference between the “Little” and “Great” Entrances?

Why do we read Scripture passages during Liturgy,

and how are these selected?

What is a litany? Why do we burn incense and light candles?

Join us on these special Sundays for an “interactive experience” of the Divine Liturgy. Fr Paul will explain and demonstrate the various

aspects of worship within the Divine Liturgy.

September 25: “Proskomedia” (Preparation of the Holy Gifts)

October 16: Liturgy “of the Word”

November 6: Liturgy “of the Eucharist

Saturday, September 24 - 11a till 1p

Young Men Ages 7 and Up

Lunch following Retreat

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Providence Medical Group/St. George Two Man Scramble

Sunday, October 23, 2016

Rea Park Golf Course, Terre Haute, IN

Tee-off: Noon •• Cost: $75 per player - $65 with Rea Park Season Ticket The entry fee includes: Green Fees, Cart, Prizes, Food and Beverages

NEW THIS YEAR WIN A 2016 DODGE DART, WITH A HOLE IN ONE, COURTESY OF

MICHAEL TOM’S VIGO DODGE

For more info or to register call Tony Tanoos at 812-232-2000 or St. George Orthodox Church at 812-232-5244

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DATES TO REMEMBER FOR 2016

On the 2th Sunday of every month, at 2:00 PM, members are invited to participate in a prayer and socializing time with the elderly at Bethesda Gardens. Please join us.

Please see enclosed Calendars for September & October

SUNDAY, November 13 Church School Basket Drive Fundraiser

SUNDAY, November 20 Church School Basket Deliveries

SUNDAY, December 4 Annual Parish Meeting

SUNDAY, December 4 Church School Giving Tree Presentation

& Christmas Crafts during Annual Meeting SUNDAY, December 18 Church School Play

SATURDAY, December 24 Nativity of our Lord

St. George Parish Prayer List

Please include the following in your daily prayers for those who are at home, those who

are struggling with acute illness in this life from among our parishioners and

those for whom they have requested our prayers.

Deceased

Louis Tanoos

Jack Farver Shamieh Tanoos

Jerry Andreakis

Tessie Andreakis

Tommy Tanoos

Hope Andreakis

Skander Nasser

Elias Mamari

Mike Saylor

Helen Hanna Simms

Farris Shahadey

Dr. Stephen Nasser

Abraham Corey

Buzash/White/ Urden Families

Patti Maloof

Dan West

Tyler Stevens

Adrian Tudorica

Bob Hayden

Chris Hopkins

Don Denning

Bob Waggoner

Bob & Chris Hoffman

Brent Kawlewski

Gregory Smith

Zaiden

Clarence Thomas Linda Turner Helen Hopp Jessica Townsend

Living

Protopresbyter George Rados

Woodrow Nasser

Jason Lake

Mike Longest

Dan Saylor

Tiffany Corey (Buzash/White/Urden/ Peck/Webster Families Linda Urden

Fred Decker

Michael Armstrong

Christina Phipps

John Scott

Bill Kassis

Helen Corey

Carol Latinovich

Patti Maloof

NOTE FROM THE CHOIR: Please feel free to join the choir and sing the songs from your pew. I would

like to welcome back Dr. Adelle Maynard Watts to the choir with her beautiful voice. Also, hoping her

husband Dr. Gary Watts will come and join us soon. It is good to see that Michelle Azar is back in the choir

with her beautiful voice. Also, thanks to the choir members who come weekly to sing. A special thanks to

Dr. Steve Maynard who has played the organ for us each Sunday year after year. Thank you to Jaimie Ellis,

for directing the choir, and Joanna Dailey for organizing the music. We need male voices. Please feel free

to come back to the choir and join us. - Rosemarie Tanoos

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Charles David 5th

George E. Ellis 7th

Harold Netzler 8th

Helen Corey 9th

OCTOBER

Sandy Kassis 14th

Moses Bovenschen 18th

Mary Ann Abdayem 19th Lauren Curley 26th

Aaron Wisbey 26th

Maria David 28th

Anthony A. Tanoos 1st

Renee Azar 2nd

Laurette Mnayarji 4th

Stevan Latinovich 5th

Alexander L. Wisbey 5th

Keith Bement 7th

SEPTEMBER

Naya Abdayem 12th

Rosemarie Tanoos 12th

Scott Cassell 15th

Donald Davis, Jr. 15th

Tiffany Bittar 16th

Abraham Kassis 17th

Michael Tanoos 19th

Joshua Bovenschen 21st

Andrew Bement 27th

HAPPY SEPTEMBER /OCTOBER BIRTHDAY !!

The St. George Social Center is available to the public for those special days of celebrations: wedding receptions, anniversary parties, graduation parties; for your business needs: banquets, meetings, fund raising events, company parties; and for the good times: Special holiday parties,

“With the spirits of the Righteous made perfect, give rest O Lord to Thy servants”

Jack Farver - August 1 Nicholas Corey, Jr - August 12

Louis Tanoos - August 12

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The Defender is a Bi-Monthly

Publication of

St. George Orthodox Church

1900 South Fourth Street

Terre Haute, Indiana 47802-1993

Fr. Paul Fuller

Dn. Elias Corey

Phone: 812-232-5244 Email: stgeorgeocth@gmail.com

Weekly Calendar Sunday 9:00 AM —> Orthros

10:00 AM —> Divine Liturgy

11:30 AM —> Church School

Wednesday

6:00 PM —> Daily Vespers

Saturday

6:00 PM —> Great Vespers

Please check your calendar for all services. St. George Orthodox Church is a parish of the

Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America.

Sept 4 Scott Cassell

Sept 11 Daniel & Paula Powell

Sept 18 Jim & Tricia Tanoos

Sept 25 Fr. Paul & Kh. Ramia

Fuller

Oct 2 Michael Buzash

Oct 9 Available

Oct 16 Rosemarie Tanoos

Oct 23 Available

Oct 30 Available

Sept 4 Scott Cassell

Sept 11 Daniel & Paula Powell

Sept 18 Jim & Tricia Tanoos

Sept 25 Fr Paul & Kh. Ramia

Fuller

Oct 2 Middle East Festival

Oct 9 Available

Oct 16 Rosemarie Tanoos

Oct 23 Available

Oct 30 Available

Holy Oblation Coffee Hour

The 2016 Holy Oblation and Coffee Hour list is posted in the vestibule. Each

family should offer the Holy Oblation and sponsor the coffee hour at least one

week a year. The living and the departed are remembered by name at Vespers

on Saturday evenings and on Sunday morning during the preparation of the gifts

and during the Liturgy. Fr. Paul prepares the Holy Oblation for the Liturgy very

early Sunday morning. Therefore, please arrange for Fr. Paul to receive the Holy

Bread and names you want remembered by Saturday afternoon.

St. George Orthodox Church

1900 South Fourth Street

Terre Haute, IN 47802

Return Service Requested

Non-Profit Org.

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P A I D

Terre Haute, IN

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